About North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area
The 63,200-acre North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area lies in the Sonoran Desert National Monument in southwestern Maricopa County, about 12 miles east of Gila Bend and 20 miles southwest of Phoenix. The wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, including hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, camping, wildlife observation and photography. The Margies Cove and Brittlebush Trails take you through the heart of the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness. The North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness contains a 10-mile section of the Maricopa Mountains, a low-elevation (1,000 to 2,813 feet) Sonoran Desert range, and extensive surrounding desert plains. The North Maricopa Mountains are a jumble of long ridges and isolated peaks, separated by bajadas and washes. Vegetation includes saguaro, cholla, ocotillo and other Sonoran Desert plant species. Desert…
- Fees: There are no permits, passes, or fees required to visit this wilderness area. It is free. However, commercial, competitive, and large…
- Managed by: Bureau of Land Management, BLM
- Where: 14 mi southwest of Goodyear, AZ · 33.10301, -112.52864
Things to do:
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Nov–Apr (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: None.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margies Cove Trail | Horse | 0.6 mi | 8.8 mi |
| Brittlebush Trail | Horse | 1.1 mi | 6.0 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is clear overhead but fades toward town glow.
Class 4 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Propane: 18.7 mi
Nearest of each within 25 miles, straight-line.Camps nearby
- Margies Cove West Campground 3.5 mi
- Sonoran Desert RV Park 14.2 mi
- South Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area 14.4 mi
- Campsite · 6 mi SE of Buckeye 17.7 mi
- Parkside Trailer Court 18.7 mi
- Vescent RV Park 19.1 mi